Mono Lake

Mono Lake is a rare, although not entirely unique, spot. The tufa towers were formed beneath water when the lake was higher. Since the lake has no outlet to flush away minerals, the lake is much saltier than the ocean. Minerals in mountain spring waters bubbling up through the lake bottom combine with minerals in the lake to create odd limestone formations. Since the lake is now being allowed to rise to a higher level (although not to its original level), some tufa are being covered by water again, while some will remain on dry land. The dark island is volcanic as are the dark butte to the north and the light-colored Mono Craters to the south.